People pass statues in front of Majestic Collection Art Gallery, where a boy was fatally injured Friday.

Photo: Tim Hussin, Special To The Chronicle

People pass statues in front of Majestic Collection Art Gallery,...

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Kayson Shelton died in a tragic accident after climbing a dolphin statue that fell on him last Friday at Fisherman's Wharf in San Francisco.

Photo: CBS San Francisco

Kayson Shelton died in a tragic accident after climbing a dolphin...

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Kayson Shelton died in a tragic accident after climbing a dolphin statue that fell on him last Friday at Fisherman's Wharf in San Francisco.

Photo: CBS San Francisco

Kayson Shelton died in a tragic accident after climbing a dolphin...

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A worker at Majestic Collection Art Gallery moves a statue behind the blue line on the sidewalk at the Fisherman's Wharf store in San Francisco, Calif. on Monday, June 9, 2014. A two-year old boy was killed Friday when he climbed a statue fell on him after he climbed it in front of the store. The store had been warned to keep the statues behind the blue lines on the sidewalk.

Photo: Tim Hussin, Special To The Chronicle

A worker at Majestic Collection Art Gallery moves a statue behind...

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A faded blue line in front of Majestic Collection Art Gallery designates how far businesses can place objects outside their stores at Fisherman's Wharf in San Francisco, Calif. on Monday, June 9, 2014. A two-year old boy was killed here on Friday when a statue fell on him after climbing it. The store had to keep the statues behind the blue lines.

Photo: Tim Hussin, Special To The Chronicle

A faded blue line in front of Majestic Collection Art Gallery...

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People pass statues in front of Majestic Collection Art Gallery in San Francisco, Calif. on Monday, June 9, 2014. A two-year old boy was killed Friday when a statue fell on him after he climbed it in front of the store. The store had been warned to keep the statues behind the blue lines on the sidewalk.

Photo: Tim Hussin, Special To The Chronicle

People pass statues in front of Majestic Collection Art Gallery in...

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Sergio Garcia, right, touches a statue in front of Majestic Collection Art Gallery with Marissa Lopez, left, and his dogs Molly and Bella at Fisherman's Wharf in San Francisco, Calif. on Monday, June 9, 2014. A two-year old boy was killed Friday here when a statue fell on him after he climbed it. The store had been warned to keep the statues behind the blue lines on the sidewalk.

Photo: Tim Hussin, Special To The Chronicle

Sergio Garcia, right, touches a statue in front of Majestic...

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A faded blue line in front of Majestic Collection Art Gallery designates how far businesses can place objects outside their stores at Fisherman's Wharf in San Francisco, Calif. on Monday, June 9, 2014. A two-year old boy was killed here on Friday when a statue fell on him after climbing it. The store had to keep the statues behind the blue lines.

In the newsroom on Monday, many of us spent the day talking about the toddler who died Friday in a freak accident at Fisherman's Wharf. And, like everyone, we talked about what a terrible blow it was for Kayson Shelton's parents, Scott and Toni - visiting San Francisco from Draper, Utah, a small town south of Salt Lake City.

And, eventually, we arrived at the cruel logic of unintended consequences.

The Shelton family was staying in a hotel on Jefferson Street, Fisherman's Wharf's main street, and around lunchtime they went outside. According to police, Kayson spotted a large statue of a dolphin and climbed it. He hugged it with his arms and then lifted himself up and wrapped his legs around it.

Which, frankly, is what kids do. We parents know that drill. When our kids were that age, there were times when it seemed all we did was yell at them. "Get off that! Put that down! Do not touch that!"

Honestly, no one meant any harm. They were just being kids. And, I'll bet, if most parents take a moment to remember, there are some close calls in every family - a heedless dash out into traffic or a fall out of a tree. Our son nearly drowned; he was found at the bottom of the pool, motionless.

But it always seemed to work out. Our son was revived with nary a lingering effect. Cars always seemed to screech to a stop before hitting the kid who ran in to the street. All part of the experience, right?

Except when it isn't.

Looking back on it, the dolphin statue was probably top-heavy. When Kayson pulled himself up, it threw off the balance and it tipped over. Kayson's 6-year-old sister (law enforcement officials could only give the name of the victim) reportedly tried to catch her brother, but the weight was too much. It crashed down on the sidewalk.

At which point a lot of things could have happened. The statue could have broken and Kayson would probably have gotten in trouble. He could have suffered an injury, a broken arm or a bump on his head.

Instead, he died.

You have to wonder what quirk of fortune allowed that to happen. Horsing around on a sidewalk statue just doesn't seem that dangerous. And yet suddenly the street was full of sirens, cops and emergency techs.

Troy Campbell is the executive director of the neighborhood community benefit district. He heard the sirens and rushed over.

"I saw the little guy get put in the ambulance," Campbell said. "Saw his face, not knowing what he was in for. And I saw the family, and none of the kids looked older than 7, get in the car to follow the ambulance."

At some point in the future this will be sorted out, clinically and probably legally. The store owners were reportedly told they were not allowed to put displays out on the sidewalk. There's a blue line at the base of the storefront and everything on the street side - which means the entire sidewalk - is controlled by the Port of San Francisco.

It's been a constant struggle. The store owners slip the eye-catching merchandise out on the sidewalk, a cop comes by and tells them they need to put it back, and everyone grouses about whether this is a good use of time.

"One of the first things the merchants always say to the cop is: Aren't there drug deals in the Tenderloin that you could be taking care of?" Campbell says.

Because, really, this was all supposed to be about keeping the sidewalk clear for traffic. No one in a million years thought this was going to lead to a fatal accident.

Except that it did.

Which makes it seem as if danger is everywhere. A runaway car could jump the curb. A strange virus could attack our immune system. A cute, lively child could take a fall and not recover.

So what do you do?

I have two suggestions: First, take a moment to send thoughts to the Shelton family.

And second, the next time you see someone you love, I'd go with a hug - an unannounced, unexpected, unconditional hug.